Are backpacking weight cots worth it?

Macchina

Macchina

Gold Member
Joined
Apr 7, 2006
Messages
5,204
We do a backcountry hunt every 2 years for 10 days and end up packing all our stuff about 6-8 miles into the forest for a base camp and hunt from there. We can use deer carts to put some of our stuff on (requires cutting many trees over the "trail" each time), this let's us cart our deer out much easier as we usually end up getting at least 1 each.

Because we're there so long we end up bringing a decent amount of camp comforts and have our system down pretty good.

We have 8 guys in the camp and my brother and I sleep in a 12-man Tipi which doubles as our camp kitchen and common area (we sleep in the back 1/3 of the tipi). I normally sleep on a thick Big Agnes inflatable insulated pad with a tarp under it (no floor). I'm thinking of getting an ultralight cot. The reviews seem mixed...

There's cheap ones on Amazon (4-5 pounds) for $50-$70, some have decent reviews:
41ljf3UnecL._AC_SL1000_.jpg


Then there's expensive brand name ones like this Thermarest (42 ounces) with better but still mixed reviews:
10334741x1144125_zm


And the old standby Cabela's ones (weigh 20-30 pounds) that have excellent reviews:
master2_100106815_main


Anyone use a camp cot? Especially the ultralight ones? How are they?
 
The few I have used have been pretty good. They tend to be cooler than just a pad on the ground, but you can add some insulation in, so even a cheap foamy goes a lot farther on the camp cot. Take reviews in consideration of the expectations of the category, a hiker's gear will always be too heavy, and a hunter's gear will never be durable enough. I've not used enough of them long-term to have an idea on longevity or anything like that, but from what I've seen and experienced (they are common in the offroading world here) that your body weight will matter a lot. Most of the cots are for "average" humans, so if you a on the bulky side, or
 
I've used a US Army cot similar to the Cabela's cot, slept on one exclusively for over a year. It was surprisingly comfortable, much more comfortable than any ground sleeping arrangements I've used. Definitely durable. That said, it was heavy, too heavy for me to consider backpacking it. No experience with lightweight models. If they can support the weight without sagging or stretching too much, seems like a good alternative.
 
Buy a cot a little longer than you think you need if you can. I have also found the klymit insulated inflatable pads to be awesome. Don't overinflate them. Super comfortable and they work.
 
BlindMouse2of3 said:
Buy a cot a little longer than you think you need if you can. I have also found the klymit insulated inflatable pads to be awesome. Don't overinflate them. Super comfortable and they work.
Click to expand...
I currently use a 4” Big Agnes insulated pad. It does great down to about 20 degrees, below that I can feel my heat being sucked out. It’s much better than my old Thermarest 1” pads at smoothing out the lumpy ground.
 
If you have lots of trees around camp - consider a hammock system. Tried one for the first time recently and slept better than I ever have outdoors…
 
I have one of the Thermarest cots. Must have had it since 2017 at least. Not for back packing though, I think of it as too heavy and bulky, but the. I have never packed to a 10 day base camp, might think differently if I had.

I sleep better in a hammock, but at or below 20F you need an underquilt, which are bulky. Also, you already have the 12 man tipi, a hammock would require carrying hammock and tarp. Managing clothing in and out of a hammock is different from in a tent.

I am about 5’8”, 170lb fully clothed and with the standard bracing on the Thermarest cot my butt rides maybe an inch off the ground, maybe a bit less. In summer you might manage without additional insulation under you, relying on just the reflective backing of the cot, but below 40F I think you definitely need a pad for warmth in conjunction with the cot. I have wondered about the cot underquilt thing sold by Thermarest but not tried it. With only 1 inch max under my butt I worry it might not be warm enough for below freezing.

Durability so far has been fine, but I have not really put it under pressure. The sites I have used have all been pretty even and I have never needed to chock up any of the supports to compensate for rough ground.

The cot does take more floor room than just a pad on the floor and the height at head and foot means you have to set up a bit further from sloped walls. Not much problem I suppose in a 12 man when that Cabelas cot is also in the running.

I just looked at the recent review comments on the Thermarest site, lot of broken feet. Wonder if the plastic is different, seems unlikely, or the temperature much lower than my camping trips…. I am the same weight as several reviewers, I roll to my side, and no broken feet.

Have you tried a closed cell pad under that 4” Big Agnes?

A wild idea, if you are cutting wood anyway and the materials are available, a Kochanski style bough bed.
 
Take this for however you want but I have used those type cots before but, for me, they are just too bulky, esp. for back country hunting trips. Myself and my best friend have hunted turkeys on public land in different states for several years. Most of the time we set up a “primary camp” where we park but often times we would pack in our camping equipment further and deeper into the woods if we felt like there was less pressure. For the first few years, I carried a tent, but around four years ago I started using a hammock system and have not looked back. I saved up for a while and got a nice Warbonnet Blackbird hammock with top and bottom quilts, and a large tarp, and it has been the most comfortable, best sleeping system I have ever owned and is very easy to pack in.
 
A cot is pretty nice if you can stand to carry it in. I still use them when I’m close to the truck. Even in the warmer seasons I roll out a Thermarest foam mat on the top of the cot. Air underneath you robs warmth.
 
I have those cots. I use them when car camping. They would work well for you on a backpacking trip (1) if you really want to carry the weight, and (2) if you can bring along something for the bottoms so that they don't rip through your tent floor. Personally, I would never bring a cot becasue it's just too much weight and not enough reward. I would still need to bring along a sleeping pad and sleeping bag so really all I'm doing is bringing more stuff when I'd rather get in more miles with less.
 
I had never used a cot but I have watched enough videos in YT to understand a few principles and see where and why they are used.

If the weather is fair (not into extreme cold) and the tent is not heated, then an inflatable mat + closed eva foam mat (on top or bottom), is usually enough for a good night sleep. Unless the terrain is soooo uneven or rocky that the inflatable mat cannot hide the irregularities.

However, in very cold weather, while using a heated tent, any inch you get away from the ground, will result in warmer temperature. Hot aire raises, and there are several (dozens) degrees diference between your head temp and feet temp if you are standing up in the tent. So the higther you get, the warmer you will be.

In a non heated tent it does not make any difference warmth wise, because it is going to be cold as fuck anywhere.

In any circunstance you will need more insulation on top of the cot, because the sleeping bag will compress between you and the cots cloth and negate any insulation properties. Insulate inflatable pads are great, but some are noisy (Thermarest Neoair series). Sea To Summit rely on other systems to insulate, and are quieter.

In my particular environment of use... cots don't make much sense.

Mikel
 
Last edited:
After much thought, I bought a Helinox Cot One camp bed and the extra high leg set, which I use with a Thermarest Neo XTherm pad and a Summit XL 12mm foam mat.

The extra high leg set gives a huge amount of space under the cot which helps keep the tent uncluttered.

Due to injuries I can't carry much so I use a folding bicycle and a packraft, these allow me to bring stuff which would otherwise be a right pain to carry.

Helinox do an ultralight version of the Cot but having the bicycle I wasn't interested.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top